Denny Hamlin, the NASCAR driver, revealed in an October 2025 interview that his father, Dennis Hamlin, was dying. Two months later, Dennis died in a house fire. Fortunately, Denny’s mother, Mary Lou Hamlin, survived, but the tragedy struck a chord in the racing community and among Denny’s fans.
Shortly before New Year’s Eve 2025, Gaston County officials confirmed that Dennis, 75, succumbed to his injuries from the fire that engulfed his North Carolina home on December 29, per WCNC and NASCAR, citing the Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services.
While Denny has yet to publicly comment on his parents’ house fire and his father’s death, here is everything to know about the racer’s family.
October 12, 2025. Denny Hamlin dedicates his 60th career win to his father, Dennis. pic.twitter.com/LOonlru1f3
— Racing Territory (@RacingTerritory) December 30, 2025
Dennis was unfortunately dying before the December 2025 house fire. In October of that year, Denny opened up about his late father’s influence on his racing career, telling the Associated Press that his dad took out several mortgages on his Virginia home and nearly went broke while helping his son get into NASCAR.
“I know for a fact this is my last chance for my dad to see it,” Denny told the AP at the time, explaining that Dennis wasn’t able to watch his NASCAR race that month. “I don’t want him going and never getting to see the moment.”
Denny added that his dad was always a “big hype guy” and consistently told his son that he was the “best.”
